kindergarten lessons.

this evening before heading to see david bach speak i went to get one of my favorite burritos… chipotle. my homage is to one of the original locations- 34th st which has a few stools at the front window for people watching… “the fishbowl,” as afresh calls is.

i wasnt fortunate enough to have a fishbowl viewing stool for my meal thus my people watching was limited to the fish on my side of the glass. what caught my eye was someone sitting at the viewing stools, back facing me, who anxiously brushed some lettuce from his counter space to the floor- almost angrily. it was obviously lettuce from his own burrito but as i look at the denigrated lettuce i wondered just who was supposed to clean it up. my “socially incorrect” side wanted to pick it up and say, “sir, you dropped this,” but i lacked the audience of friends to be prodded into such behavior.

but the irritation grew in me. i wanted to ask him, “would you do that in your own home?” then why do it here? it perplexes me how all the things we learn and follow in our homes becomes null and void once venturing into public arenas. i mean- who exactly is supposed to clean that up? we all “know” who it will be- but why? this isnt fine dining- it’s a $6.xx fast food burrito served by near minimum wage workers. what privilge entitles this shmuck to purposely fling food on the floor and expect someone else to clean it up? this is actually something that really irritates me about smokers- “i’m done with my fix. now i throw my butt on the ground, stomp on it, and leave it as a reminder to society of my existence. if someone is really bothered enough by my trash- they can pick it up themselves.”

i’m reminded of a book titled, “all I really need to know I learned in kindergarten.” most people have read it, or at least fliped through it. “play fair. dont hit people. put things back where you found them. clean up your own mess. etc.” when/where is it we lose these lessons? we become so consumed with our own advancement we eventually think we’re entitled to have anonymous slaves clean up our refuse while we continue our pursuit of personal gains. c’mon- grow up. no one’s that special.

for all those of you who dont wipe your own asses- you’re excused. for the rest of you who wipe your own asses at home, dont expect someone to do it for you elsewhere.